- "TIE pilots don't mix up their tactics too much. You see the same maneuvers over and over. Don't get me wrong—they can be effective… but not a lot of variation. Guess it's how they're trained. But over Grail City… they were exuberant. Taking risks I'd never seen them take before."
- ―Jessika Pava recalls the performance of First Order TIE pilots during the Battle of Grail City
First Order TIE Fighter Pilots or First Order TIE pilots were skilled pilots who served the First Order, hunting down enemy vessels and protecting space around installations and warships in their advanced TIE/fo space superiority fighters.[4] Elite pilots had access to TIE/sf space superiority fighters, two-seater TIE craft equipped with enhanced weaponry and sensor systems.[6]
Since the conclusion of the Galactic Civil War had seen the various flight academies under the Empire returned to local institutions, the TIE pilots of the First Order were trained directly within First Order-owned ships, whether they be newly created ships or Imperial survivors of the war. Largely because they could not afford to train an endless supply of pilots,[7] the First Order treated its fighter pilots as important parts of its war machine instead of disposable assets; unlike its predecessor. Potential pilots were identified as children and given rigorous training, often within the corridors of warships, then tested ruthlessly throughout their careers to ensure their reflexes, visual acuity and coordination measured up.[4] Due to the nature of their training, many of them never set foot on a planet during this time.[8] In addition, the First Order's pilots had a higher life expectancy than their Imperial equivalents; largely due to their not having to be burdened with a restrictive galactic budget.[9] In addition, those pilots who demonstrated both exceptional skill and unwavering loyalty were promoted to elite ranks within First Order during the Cold War.[10]
Pilots of the Order included Major Elrik Vonreg,[3] TN-3465,[11] and "Quickdraw."[12]
Equipment[edit | edit source]
First Order TIE pilots wore a uniform consisting of a black jumpsuit with a chestplate with life support gear, pauldrons on the shoulders, gauntlets, a utility belt, boots, and a helmet with goggles. The helmet had a flexible gas transfer hose, which connected to the pilot's life support system.[1] The helmet's goggles also had an interior viewplate that projected combat data to the pilots.[7] Pilots were typically issued with a SE-44C blaster pistol,[1] which could be carried in a holster on their belt when not in use. [2]
Appearances[edit | edit source]
- Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes
- Star Wars Battlefront II
- Before the Awakening (Indirect mention only)
- Poe Dameron 2
- Poe Dameron 16
Star Wars Resistance – "The Recruit"
Star Wars Resistance – "Station Theta Black"
Star Wars Resistance – "The Core Problem"
- Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens (First appearance)
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens novelization
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens: A Junior Novel
- The Force Awakens Adaptation 1
- The Force Awakens Adaptation 2
Star Wars Resistance – "No Escape: Part 2"
Star Wars Resistance – "Into the Unknown"
- Captain Phasma 1
- Captain Phasma 2
- Captain Phasma 3
- Captain Phasma 4
- The Last Jedi: Cobalt Squadron (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Expanded Edition
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi: A Junior Novel
- The Last Jedi Adaptation 4 (Voice only)
Star Wars Resistance – "A Quick Salvage Run"
Star Wars Resistance – "Live Fire"
Star Wars Resistance – "The Engineer"
Star Wars Resistance – "Rendezvous Point"
- Poe Dameron 30 (Mentioned only)
Star Wars Resistance – "Station to Station"
Star Wars Resistance – "Breakout"
Star Wars Resistance – "No Place Safe"
Star Wars Resistance – "Rebuilding the Resistance"
Star Wars Resistance – "The Escape"
- Choose Your Destiny: A Finn & Poe Adventure
- Spark of the Resistance (Mentioned only)
"Secret Agent Droids, Part 2"—Star Wars Adventures 28
- Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker
Non-canon appearances[edit | edit source]
LEGO Star Wars: The Resistance Rises – "Poe to the Rescue"
LEGO Star Wars: The Resistance Rises – "The Trouble with Rathtars"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- "Sithmas Battle"
Sources[edit | edit source]
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (Set: 75101 First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter) (First identified as First Order TIE Fighter Pilot)
Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (Set: 75179 Kylo Ren's TIE Fighter)
"Blaster"—Star Wars Insider 160
- Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia
- Star Wars: On the Front Lines
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi: The Visual Dictionary
- The Last Jedi: Bomber Command
Star Wars: X-Wing Second Edition – First Order Conversion Kit (Card: Epsilon Squadron Cadet) (Reissued in TIE/fo Fighter Expansion Pack)
- Star Wars Resistance: Meet the Pilots
- Star Wars Character Encyclopedia, New Edition
- Star Wars Search and Find Volume I
- TIE Fighter Owners' Workshop Manual
- Ultimate Star Wars, New Edition
- Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Galactic Guide
Every Type of Trooper in Star Wars | Star Wars By the Numbers on the official Star Wars Kids YouTube channel (backup link)
First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter in the Databank (backup link)
First Order TIE Fighter in the Databank (backup link)
First Order TIE Fighter Pilots in the Databank (backup link)
Notes and references[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary
- ↑ 3.0 3.1
Star Wars Resistance – "The Recruit"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3
First Order TIE Fighter Pilots in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars: The Last Jedi: The Visual Dictionary
- ↑
First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: The Visual Dictionary
- ↑
Star Wars: X-Wing Second Edition – TIE/fo Fighter Expansion Pack (Card: Epsilon Squadron Cadet—TIE/fo Fighter)
- ↑
Star Wars: X-Wing Second Edition – TIE/fo Fighter Expansion Pack (Card: Zeta Squadron Pilot—TIE/fo Fighter)
- ↑
Star Wars: X-Wing Second Edition – TIE/fo Fighter Expansion Pack (Card: Omega Squadron Ace—TIE/fo Fighter)
- ↑ Captain Phasma 4
- ↑
Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game – Special Forces TIE Expansion Pack (Card: "Quickdraw"—TIE/sf Fighter)